It,s not obsolete yet. Whilst the prize may have been won there are still the other teams. Most are not going to just pack it in and go home, they will want to prove their design works. As winston Churchill said, "this is not the end or even the begining of the end, it is the end of the begining".

"So what now?" is quite an interesting question regarding SpaceShipOne. whilst the other teams now have to decide whether to give up on their projects or push ahead Scaled Composites are in a totally different position. Other teams have sometning to prove, Scaled Composites don't. Does SpaceShipOne fly again? Scaled Composites are clearly working on the new improved model (SpaceShipTwo) in conjunction with Virgin Galactic. I would assume that SpaceShipOne will need to continue flying to collect data before commercial operations begin.

Last edited by Waspie_Dwarf on Mon Oct 04, 2004 4:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I agree with Ralph. After all if the internet had existed 5 decades ago would we have answered the question "Who's going to win the race to space" on 4th October 1957 with the answer, "The Russians did, Let's shut down the forum"?

The XPRIZE is won now -yes - but the CUP doesn't take place yet. And it will take place only a few weeks a year.

Should there be an additional special form for each competition the XPRIZE Foundation is responsible for?

Concerning the CUPS all the other teams are interesting too - and all the competitions will be much less interesting if no ranking resulting from the XPRIZE competition is known and discussed.

This alone is reason enough not to close this forum - it could be sufficient to change its name. But why? Its current name isn't "...win the XPRIZE" but "win the race to space" - the CUP is a "race to space" too.

And no CUP competition without the other teams - we shouldn't discourage them by not watching and discussing them. They've done a lot work.

Well ... let's see. Some reckon we should keep this forum for second-place getters (naah, too contrived). Some say we should keep this forum for an orbital goal, obviously the next step on our PATH TO FISCAL OVERLORDSHIP OF THE GALAXY ... cough cough ... sorry, got carried away there. Others think that we should maintain it to watch over the X-prize cup ... sorry Ekkhard ... CUP.

All well and good, but you all (or is that y'all?) have let slip the true goal of this prize. Kick starting a business.

The race is on to translate this into something real while people's imaginations are fired and fueled. Bigelow have recognized it. Even NASA have recognized it. They're injecting funds to try and keep it (the basic premise) going. Diamandis has (had?) a great model, but the dream has been concluded.

It's looking to be very tough to keep the momentum now. How many of you guys think we'll still be here dickering over the details come Christmas time? Now that the race has been won.

"Dr Kieth" I'm sorry to say that right now your 2 for 2 as well. Both times you've responded to me you have flamed me and not put up anything to help. I have posted in both that I'm a newbie and you seem to have forgoten what it's like to be one. I've responded with enthusiasm to this contest and it's forums and you attack me in this way. I've removed the signature, But you could have been nicer about it. I'll try not to respond to any more of your topics.

Sigurd and I have talked about this subject to some extent before.... some topics have inevitably become obsolete... they will probably remain open for some time to let people get their excitement out. Then the board will most likely be revamped to deal with the next big X Prize venture, the X Cup...

After all this is the X Prize Foundation forum, not just the X Prize competition forum... There is still plenty to be done in space, as previously said, and the X Cup will no doubt provide plenty to talk about!!

Xprizenews.org will also continue to exist, and we will still be covering the developments from all teams involved in the X Prize competition, as well as any who pop up and decide to enter the X Cup competitions.

Now just make sure to stick around and we'll keep everyone posted with the latest update